MLB.com's Carrie Muskat has been covering Major League Baseball since 1981 and is the author of "Banks to Sandberg to Grace: Five Decades of Love and Frustration with the Cubs." You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat. Here, she blogs about the Cubs.

4/4 Cubs lineup

The Cubs will try to win the series against the Pirates on Wednesday, sending Travis Wood to the mound. Here’s the lineup:

You got it Joey – My new mantra to live through Marmol. Out with the chocolate, out with the cooking, out with the wringing of hands – in with the “Kitty Song”. Visualize me singing in the Oregon rain from now on!!!!

White, I support your concerns regarding Marmol, and also would like to know why Mamma wants him to continue as our closer. Did not hear or see today`s bottom of ninth live, and is just as well, as would have been agonizing. Would have been a pity if the closer blew that contest in 9th after all our prior hurlers had been tremendous. Why tolerate all the drama with Carlos?

I agree with yourself, Ron. Marmol is destroying the team e.r.a. Have you noted his is north of 20? The new Japanese hurler who covered the 8th inning sans incident is obvious option. Marmol`s high wire act is getting stale, and I`m concerned about the tickers of seniors like myself who have to endure his incompetency.

Agreed, but don’t you think Sveum is just towing the line and falling in step in order to try to massage Marmo’s value into a trade? Like I said before, if we EVER get a manager that would buck the system and DO WHAT IS RIGHT for the victory and not the roster then team may get somewhere from April to October. If Sveum (who IS Epstein’s guy) did not use Marmol, would that not raise the thought for Epstein to release Marmol? After all, Marmol is not Epstein’s sow’s ear in which to make a silk purse. Especially now that Marmol will get us next to nothing in return? If Sveum had a pair, Marmol would be delegated to mop up duty and a message would be sent to the suits upstairs regarding how GOOD a MANAGER Sveum is instead of how GOOD an EMPLOYEE he is. What would Epstein do? Fire Svuem for benching Marmol? I don’t think so….Is Hendry still in NY? Maybe Hendry can give Marmol a job and finally get that ever elusive silk purse made???

I surely agree Theo is complicit in the Marmol as closer decision. Is just a matter of time before Carlos blows multiple save opportunities in succession and the decision to change closers will be a no-brainer.

I would like to know what the players are feeling when Marmol comes in to “save” the game. They have played to the 9th and have a 3-0 lead. Marmol comes in and all of a sudden they see a 3-2 score and are fighting for their hard earned win. We fans are screaming in frustration – the players must be wondering why they have to go through such torture game after game. I think it is an insult to say that “Marmol saved the game”. He was instrumental in almost losing the game and was “saved” only by the rest of the team covering his inept ass. ‘Scuse my language!

Mamma Mia – What are you seeing in Marmol that I am missing? I truly respect your opinion when it comes to baseball and I wonder why you think he should be the closer. I can see that he is a very nice young man – no doubts there – but he doesn’t seem to have any control this year. With our much stronger bullpen this year is there any reason why we have to keep using him?

Ewwww. I don’t think there is any way to spin Marmol’s value as a closer Mamma, sorry but your analogy just makes it worse. And I put forth this: if somebody HAS bad breath wouldn’t that in itself disqualify that person from being a good kisser? One would think in order to be a good kisser one would have to AT LEAST have good breath, THEN work on the mechanics….
Also, Although I respect your opinion I would have to question your opinion that Marmol has a POWER arm. Just sayin, you know?

Mamma Mia – I did respond when you said Marmol is a nice young man and I agreed that I can tell he is a very nice person. I absolutely do not mean to demean him as a person. We have alot of really nice young men on our team – BUT no matter how nice they are don’t they also have to be able to fill the role for which they are designated? I just don’t see Marmol being able to do that yet. As for today’s game – Feldman is another one to focus our worries on. Let’s hope he can do HIS JOB today. Alot going on in Atlanta this weekend! Eamus Catuli.

Atlanta will more than likely feast on our anemic offense. And really, Marmol’s only “attribute” is he prevents batters from digging in because they don’t want to get hit? Not much help if he is then going to walk them so no, I really don’t think that “special weapon” Marmol possesses is quite enough to defend him being the closer. But nice try Mamma, maybe that’s the quality in a pitcher that a one Jim Hendry is looking for right now…we can only hope…hey! Don’t the Yanks need a DH too???? ;);)

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